Tristan
Tristan is a main character in Until It Sleeps and its sequel, Come Undone. ''He is known for being the Rider of the dragon Fafnir. He is 18-19 years old in ''Until It Sleeps, and 34 years old in Come Undone. He is 5'11 Background Like his older brother and younger sister, Tristan arrived at the Varden at the young age of eight. Unlike Ashen, he preferred a more quiet approach and therefore chose the bow and arrow instead of the traditional sword. Tristan got along very well with both of his siblings growing up, adopting a jovial attitude towards both Colton and Ashen. All of this was shattered upon Colton's death when Tristan was seventeen. After this, he took up the role of Ashen's primary protector. He didn't possess the desire for vengeance against Durza like Ashen, but he was very wary of Murtagh, even after the young man saved Ashen's life when she foolishly decided to fight the Shade. Ever since he betrayed them, Tristan has seen it as his mission to bring the Empire down. Appearance Tristan is handsome, of average height and weight with dark brown hair and the same sapphire blue eyes as his siblings. Like Ashen, he is quite slender, although he is fairly well-muscled from intense training with the bow and arrow. Personality Tristan is more mild than his siblings. He is a bit introverted and tends to keep to himself at times, but he can also be enthusiastic and joking around those he knows well. He isn't quick to anger and has good control over his temper. Tristan is a very logical person, one of the few who thinks with his head instead of his heart. Despite this, he does fear losing other people as he lost Colton. Ambitions Tristan desires to overthrow Galbatorix. He never aspired to be a Rider, but when he becomes one, he is determined to live up to the legacy of those who once were. He is very deeply connected with his dragon, Fafnir, even after the fall of Galbatorix. Tristan is a Rider first, which often makes it difficult considering his teenage son, who feels neglected. Strengths Tristan is a brilliant archer who rarely misses his target. He is good with other projectile weapons as well, such as throwing knives. He is also a quick learner when it comes to magic. As well as these physical traits, Tristan is very grounded and practical. Although he can make the occasional rash decision, he is known for thinking things through. Weaknesses Tristan isn't very good with a sword, which is the traditional weapon of a Rider. Therefore, he needs a lot of practise when it comes to his sword Sundavar. At first he also isn't very comfortable with dragons or flying on dragonback. Those he cares about are another weakness, as Tristan would give up anything to protect his sister, Ashen, or his love, Delia. Relationships 'Family' 'Colton I' Tristan looked up and admired his older brother. He thought the world of Colton, and always aspired to be like his brother. As he grew older, Tristan knew that he was far different from his brother and so chose a different path in life, but that never stopped him respecting Colton. After Colton was killed by Durza, Tristan was torn up. He found it difficult to take up the role of caring for Ashen, and nothing would ever mend the whole in his heart that Colton's death had left. 'Ashen' Tristan had a good relationship with his younger sister. Sometimes they could argue, usually started by Ashen losing her temper, but on the whole they remained very close. Tristan sees it as his duty to follow in Colton's footsteps and protect Ashen, and he will often blame himself if anything happens to her. Ashen sometimes sees Tristan as babying her, but she does appreciate that he is trying to take care of her. 'Vrael' Tristan has a very dysfunctional relationship with his son. Due to his duties as a Rider, Tristan and his elf lover Delia don't have a lot of time for their son, which makes Vrael feels bitter and unwanted. When Tristan sees how much his absence is affecting Vrael, after Fafnir's death he makes it a priority to fix his broken relationship with his son. 'Friends' 'Murtagh' Although starting off on pretty bad terms, Tristan eventually becomes friends with Murtagh. It's not easy though, especially considering he views Murtagh as a traitor and doesn't accept his relationship with Ashen. However over time he begins to understand that Ashen and Murtagh truly love each other, and he gives his blessing. By Come Undone, they are both fellow Riders and friends. 'Love Interests' 'Delia' Tristan was attracted to his mentor, the elf Delia, a fellow Rider. Despite looking the same age as his sister Ashen, Delia was in fact in her eighties and therefore reluctant to pursue any kind of romantic relationship with Tristan. Over time, though, she saw that he was wise for his years and eventually the two did become lovers, their relationship strengthened upon the birth of their son, Vrael.